By Kuda Pembere The Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) and the Students and Youth Working on Reproductive Health Action Team (SAYWHAT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Monday to improve access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and rights for adolescents and young people in Zimbabwe. ZNFPC’s Director of Technical Services, Mercy Marimirofa, stated during the signing ceremony that the MoU would enable the two organizations to share research findings and address challenges faced by young people in accessing SRH services. The collaboration will also focus on…
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2025 National Budget Not Gender Responsive – WCoZ
By Michael Gwarisa The Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) has criticized the 2025 National Budget for neglecting the unique health needs of women in Zimbabwe, accusing it of failing to adopt a gender-responsive approach. Gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) integrates gender considerations into budgeting processes to ensure that policies, interventions, and resources address the distinct needs of women, men, and gender-diverse individuals. However, the 2025 budget fell short, with allocations failing to prioritize critical issues in women’s health. Data from the budget indicates that Family Health, which includes family planning, sexual and…
Read MoreChild Marriages in Zimbabwe: Breaking the Chains of Poverty and Lost Potential
By Edward Makuzva In rural Zimbabwe, child marriage remains a deeply entrenched issue, robbing countless young girls of their education and futures. Despite ongoing efforts to combat this harmful tradition, thousands of girls are still being married off before completing their education. This alarming practice is not just a violation of human rights but also a significant barrier to personal development and national progress. In many Zimbabwean communities, girls as young as 12 are forced into marriage due to economic hardships, societal pressures, or outdated cultural norms. Once married, these…
Read MoreZimbabwe’s Civil Society Pushes for Establishment of One-Stop Centre for Safe Abortion
By Michael Gwarisa Advocates for safe abortion in Zimbabwe, comprising the Health Law Policy Consortium (HLPC) and the Institute for Young Women’s Development (IYWD), with support from the Safe Abortion Action Fund (SAAF), are lobbying for the establishment of a One-Stop Centre for safe abortion services. The initiative aims to address obstacles faced by women and girls in accessing abortion services. Currently, abortion in Zimbabwe is permitted under the Termination of Pregnancy Act (Chapter 15:10), enacted in 1977. The Act allows abortion in specific circumstances, including when continuing a pregnancy…
Read MoreRegional Students Gather in Zimbabwe for SAYWHAT Conference on SRHR, Climate Change, and Public Health Solutions
By Kuda Pembere Students from various institutions across the SADC region have gathered in Zimbabwe for the SAYWHAT 3rd Research Indaba and the 14th Students Conference. The event has brought together young researchers presenting studies on climate change, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), and tuberculosis. An official from the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science, and Development called on institutions to inspire and support students committed to addressing public health challenges. Youth-led research projects not only provide valuable data but also ensure that solutions are relevant…
Read MoreFinancial hardships driving varsity students into semester marriages
By Kuda Pembere Financial hardships are driving tertiary students into exploitative relationships known as “semester marriages.” These arrangements, described by students, involve male students acting as husbands and providing for female students, who, in turn, perform the duties of a wife. The “marriage” typically lasts for one academic semester. This issue came to light during a Safer Campus Campaign Dialogue on Gender-Based Violence, organized by the Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Africa Trust (SAT) in partnership with Full of Life Trust (FOLIT) at the Catholic University of Zimbabwe on Wednesday.…
Read MoreZimbabwe Considers Cost Recovery Strategy For Family Planning Products
By Michael Gwarisa Amid growing donor fatigue and declining international support, Zimbabwe is pursuing a cost recovery framework for contraceptive commodities to ensure the sustainability and accessibility of reproductive health services. Spearheaded by the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) and other partners, this initiative aims to maintain progress in reproductive health despite diminishing external funding. Like many nations dependent on donor contributions, Zimbabwe is seeking strategies to sustain its family planning programs. The proposed cost recovery framework intends…
Read MoreZim’s New Age Of Consent Law Wont Address Unintended Pregnancies Crises
By Edinah Masiyiwa In response to the pressure from early marriages and the rise of adolescent pregnancy, a new law was passed in Zimbabwe that raised the age for sexual consent from 16 to 18 years. This is known as the Criminal Laws Amendment (Protection of Children and Young Persons Act 2024) and it criminalises having sex with persons under the age of 18 years. The law also criminalises deliberate infection of the child with HIV or any other sexually transmitted disease. This is a law that has been passed because Zimbabweans…
Read MoreFresh Calls to Amend Zimbabwe’s 47-Year-Old Abortion Law Gather Momentum
By Ntokozo Gudu Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) championing women and girls’ rights in Zimbabwe have called for the urgent amendment of the Termination of Pregnancy Act (TOP), in order to reduce the high maternal deaths associated with unsafe abortions in the country. Zimbabwe is using a Termination of Pregnancy (ToP) Act that was enacted in 1977 which many Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) believe no longer serves the prevailing challenges faced by women and girls. According to the 1977 law, abortion is allowed under the restricted circumstances of rape,…
Read MoreZimbabwe Adolescent Health and Well-being Symposium becomes of age
By Michael Gwarisa Adolescents and young people from various parts of Zimbabwe convened at Manna Safari Lodge in Harare to deliberate on various issues of young people’s health and well-being. Some of the key topics that were covered include improving access to adolescent-friendly health services, addressing mental health and wellbeing, promoting sexual and reproductive health education and supporting adolescent empowerment and development The event was co-created and co-convened by Young People, the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), and My Age Zimbabwe with support from UNESCO Zimbabwe, SRHR Africa…
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